d
notice that the meet of the hounds would take place at Squashtail
Common, just outside my lodge-gates.

I didn't know what a meet was; and me and Mrs. C. agreed that it was
most probable the dogs were to be fed there. However, Tagrag explained
this matter to us, and very kindly promised to sell me a horse, a
delightful animal of his own; which, being desperately pressed for
money, he would let me have for a hundred guineas, he himself having
given a hundred and fifty for it.

Well, the Thursday came: the hounds met on Squashtail Common; Mrs. C.
turned out in her barouche to see us throw off; and, being helped up
on my chestnut horse, Trumpeter, by Tagrag and my head groom, I came
presently round to join them.

Tag mounted his own horse; and, as we walked down the avenue, "I
thought," he said, "you told me you knew how to ride; and that you had
ridden once fifty miles on a stretch!"

"And so I did," says I, "to Cambridge, and on the box too."

"ON THE BOX!" says he; "but did you ever mount a horse before?"

"Never," says I, "but I find it mighty easy."

"Well," says he, "you're mighty bold for a barber; and I like you, Coxe,
for your spirit." And so we came out of the gate.

As for describing the hunt, I own, fairly, I can't. I've been at a hunt,
but what a hunt is--why the horses WILL go among the dogs and ride them
down--why the men cry out "yooooic"--why the dogs go snuffing about in
threes and fours, and the huntsman says, "Good Towler--good Betsy," and
we all of us after him say, "Good Towler--good Betsy" in course: then,
after hearing a yelp here and a howl there, tow, row, yow, yow, yow!
burst out, all of a sudden, from three or four of them, and the chap
in a velvet cap screeches out (with a number of oaths I shan't repeat
here), "Hark, to Ringwood!" and then, "There he goes!" says some one;
and all of a sudden, helter skelter, skurry hurry, slap bang, whooping,
screeching and hurraing, blue-coats and red-coats, bays and grays,
horses, dogs, donkeys, butchers, baro-knights, dustmen, and blackguard
boys, go tearing all together over the common after two or three of the
pack that yowl loudest. Why all this is, I can't say; but it all took
place the second Thursday of last March, in my presence.

Up to this, I'd kept my seat as well as the best, for we'd only been
trotting gently about the field until the dogs found; and I managed
to stick on very well; but directly the tow-rowing began, off went
Trumpe